To Live Again
by AnonymousMe101
Summary: Darkness was defeated once again and Sephiroth knew the only way for him to have his revenge against Cloud is to destroy the source of his Light. A one-winged angel started appearing on Tifa's dreams and it's consuming her, taking over her body and making her do things she couldn't remember doing...
1. Prologue

_A/N: Hey guys this is my first Final Fantasy story so please be gentle with me. Reminder, I do not and have not played the games though I have read the plot online so expect that this story will not be as faithful to the game. I have only seen the movie and this story continues after Final Fantasy: Advent Children. _

_Summary_: **Darkness was defeated once again and Sephiroth knew the only way for him to have his revenge against Cloud is to destroy the source of his Light. A one-winged angel started appearing on Tifa's dreams and it's consuming her, taking over her body and making her do things she couldn't remember doing...**

**Prologue**

_'I know. I'm not alone... not anymore.'_

He uttered more to himself than to the vision of his two friends leaving the church with smiles on their faces. Watching their backs as they disappear from his sight is surprisingly not as painful as it was before. He had always thought that he could have done something, anything to save them but he wasn't able to because he just wasn't strong enough. He failed them above all the other sins he had committed because of being so weak that is why all the while he never forgave himself. But now, something has changed. Like the world has become brighter than it was before and it makes him see clearly.

The sound of water splashing, children laughing and loud voices from the Avalanche members on the corner, filled his ears and bringing him back to the present time. It felt surreal, like he never expected everything to end like this even though this is really what they've all been fighting for.

He's all wet now, but it doesn't bother him. He is still trying to figure out if this; right here, right now, is real. He moved his arm to see if it's still there, the geostigma. But he could only see a white spot like an uneven tanned skin with a funny shape like that of a country in a map. The sickness he tried so hard to hide in order not to burden his friends anymore was finally gone.

_And now what? _

Now that he's finally defeated Sephiroth and the world is no longer in danger, what is he going to do?

A hand on his shoulder made him turn his head to the presence behind him.

"Let's go?" Says Tifa with her dark-as-the-night orbs looking squarely at his own Mako-enhanced blue ones. "Else you and the kids will catch cold if you all stay any longer on those clothes." She eyed his clothes and then Marlene and Denzel who both stopped playing in the water. She didn't notice Marlene jumping into the water earlier, probably jealous of the fun going on in the stream. "Come on."

Tifa removed her hand from the blonde boy's shoulder to offer them to Marlene and Denzel who moved to get off of the water.

"Lez get moving everyone. All thoze fightin' makes me so hungry I can eat a whole elephant!" Barret started hollering.

Marlene ran towards her father. "Me too! I'm so hungry, Daddy. But why do you want to eat an elephant? They're so cute and nice." She asked.

Yuffie snorted, "Good luck with that."

Scratching the back of his head, Barret tried to explain that it was just an expression and he haven't tasted one and doesn't plan to.

Cid was shaking his head. "I'm going ahead. Got some things to fix and all." He said, wanting to get away before anything awkward starts to envelope the place. He wanted to leave casually even though what happend today was very impactful in a way. So he waved his hand in the air as he turns his back and Red XIII follows him. "Call me when you... well, if you..." He coughed. "Damn, just... see you!"

Tifa giggled at the awkwardness she could sense from the guy and knew that even if he was fronting a strong and scary demeanor, there's a good seed inside that shell of a warrior. "Thank you for your help, Cid. We'll call you for a proper dinner one of these days."

Cid only shrugged his shoulder and waved his hand again indicating he's already leaving.

When Yuffie noticed that Vincent was stepping back too she confronted him. "Hey! Don't say you're leaving too?" And then their one-sided conversation started. If Cloud is an epitome of a man of few words, then maybe Vincent is the man of no words at all.

Watching the entire scene makes every second become more real and it makes Cloud's heart throb with some emotion he is not familiar with.

"Hey Teef! The kids are travlin' wit me in the truck, are you goin with spikey?" Barret asked.

Smiling, Tifa answered "No, I'm going with you and the kids." Then she turned to Cloud with a knowing and trusting look. Her voice when she spoke was low but it was very clear to the blonde boy's hearing. "See you at home... Cloud."

Black and blue orbs locked for a moment before Tifa disconnected when she felt a stinging sensation at the back of her head. Cloud immediately noticed something was wrong when she closed her eyes for a bit and her fingers touched her head to where she felt the something.

"Are you okay?" Cloud asked.

The raven-haired girl nodded and looked down to Denzel who is observing the exchange between his two guardians now. She was trying to dismiss Cloud. "Yeah. Just a little headache." Then she looked up to the blonde again. "We're going ahead now." She smiled at him to appease him and walked past through him while dragging Denzel along with her. But Tifa stopped just a few distance from Cloud and without looking back she said, "Try to live again, Cloud. Everything's fine now." And then she continued without stopping this time towards the others.

When the others have left, he pondered on what Tifa just told him. E_verything's fine now._ The exact same words Aerith told him. But what answered the nagging question he's had since earlier about what happens next to him are the words... T_ry to live again, Cloud._

Had he stopped living?

Afterwards he realized the answer was yes. But when it happened, he couldn't remember.

_To live again... _

Maybe that's it.


	2. The Awakening

A/N: Hi guys thanks for the review and follow and faves. YOu have an option to skip my rambling hehe... I'm just writing a longer A/N to expound the background of this fic. And for you to know where I'm coming from. But YOU CAN SKIP... hehe

Okay. Let me start with, I liked the idea of Final Fantasy somehow relating their game to Judaism of which I can definitely relate to. My aim in writing this story is to emphasize the argument of whether who's Cloud's light. Because I don't think there's any argument as to who's his darkness duh haha...

So I'm confused myself. I'm not a player of the game and like I've mentioned I've only seen the movie and so I could probably only rely on the plots I read online. (sucks)

Tifa says to may be derived from Tifaret which in Jewish is the force that brings beauty (physically or metaphysically). In the Tree of Life, Tifaret has a wisdom that comes from God that says, "Let there be light, and there was light." Tifaret also relates to the sun seeing as it gives light and life.

FOR ME, Cloud's light is definitely Tifa. Tifa is the gravity that always pulls Cloud back up to his feet and the one who pushes him to the right track even though Cloud is the most stubborn and obtuse person that could probably exist. And that's not only with Cloud, I say for the rest of the Avalanche members and to the kids as well.

In a way Aerith is more like a mother-figure. Aerith's name was meant to sound like 'earth'. So she was more like the 'mother-earth' in a way. She has a bigger responsibility and was meant to really fulfill that being the last Cetra. Her presence was fleeting but very impactful and even after her death she still remains, a part of the planet through the lifestream.

Though they said that Aerith may also be derived from Tifaret which can also be spelled Tifereth (folks, there's a lot of variation to this name). But I am not convinced on this one. Aerith sounds more like Earth to me and so does Tifaret for Tifa.

But no hating please, I love both Aerith and Tifa. I just prefer Aerith for Zack and see no connection between her and Cloud other than the memory and illusion of Zack to the both of them.

So since I love Aerith... she will be a part of this fic too!

_How?_

You'll see :P I'll make ZErith shippers happy.

Yes, to answer HakunaMatata00 this is a CloTi fic but not only centered to them but in Tifa's effect and relationship to everybody as well.

RANTING done. Please proceed to the proper Chapter1. The first one actually is a prologue. Please, I'm writing on my cellphone but I tried to proofread.

* * *

**Chapter 1: The Awakening**

**'**_**Are you happy now, angel?'** _asks that voice. The voice that she had missed so much and _that _endearment that only _she _would call her.

Tifa had to reflect on the question. But believing that she is, she replied. _'Yes. I believe so, mama.' _

'_Why?'_

She had to ponder on that follow-up question immediately after. _'Because... Everybody's safe now.' _

'_But for how long?' _

That one stunned her. The voice sounded throaty this time. Like it's not the same person anymore.

'_I-uh I'm not-...' _She couldn't understand where the question is heading to. But that last one hit something inside of her and making her feel that something isn't right. _'Mama, where are you?'_ She called and tried to open her eyes but when she did, she saw pale white. Yes. Pale white and some tiny cracks.

The ceiling.

"Weird dream." Tifa uttered as she continuous to lie still on her bed. It's the first time in a long time that she had a dream about her mother, and for it to be _that_ cryptic is just weird.

Eventually, she gave up trying to decipher what the dream was really trying to say. Now _that _dream only made her miss her parents. She missed her mother's wisdom and her father's practical outlook in life. Suddenly the memories of her childhood that she had suppressed for so long came down on her like a flood, breaking the dam.

She's not really the emotional type of person. Or maybe she _was. _But after she lost her father in that incident at Nibelheim, she had reinvented herself. She tried to loose that side of her that dwells on herself being a victim and instead focused on the _mission_ to stop SHINRA and avenge everybody who died in the hands of Sephiroth.

Starting that day of the destruction of her town, she never wallowed in self-pity nor did she ever drown herself in tears hoping that Sephiroth and SHINRA gets drowned too. No. She worked hard. She trained hard to become someone who can protect herself and those who can't protect themselves.

It has become her _reason_ for fighting and for living.

But now that SHINRAs been destroyed and Sephiroth defeated, what next?

She knows what's next. She never lost hope. She had always envisioned life after all of the fighting.

It's been three months since the last incident with the Geostigma and Sephiroth's short comeback. Peace has finally been restored and everybody is trying to start over.

'_But for how long?' _

Tifa shook her head. It's Monday. "It's just a dream. I have chores to do." She told herself.

0-0

**The children** are not up yet. The sun is still cracking up in the sky, slowly trying to spread its light into the poor planet reminding people of another day, of another chance and of another start.

Tifa prepared the blueberry pancake that Marlene had been requesting yesterday. She picked today to cook it because it's a special day for the two kids. Right downtown was a newly established school for the children of Edge.

WRO funded the construction of the three-floored building. The school offers multi grade-levels depending on the age and level of learning a child have. So it doesn't matter if the kid is over fifteen but if his literacy is still at a nursery level he will attend the nursery class.

Apparently Denzel was attending a Grade School in Midgar before the attack on Sector 7 so he was able to continue with the other kids his age in second grade. On the other hand, Tifa was so proud of Marlene; having been with her growing up and although due to her father's protective nature and with the Avalanche activities getting slowly recognized by SHINRA before, she was home-schooled and being the only girl in the group Tifa was tasked of playing the mother, big sister and teacher for her little angel. So when Marlene was able to pass and enter first grade, Tifa was the happiest.

So today is their first day of school and she's just so excited.

"Oh! I have to prepare their lunch for later too!"

0-0

**Cloud heard** footsteps running here and there just outside of his room and knew that the kids are awake.

"My pen! Where's my pen?"

He heard Marlene panicking so he immediately got up and hurried to the kids' room to help. Cloud found Marlene rummaging through the cabinets and Denzel kneeling on the floor and reaching for something under the bed.

"It's here! I see it! But it's too far, I can't reach it. Go get a broom, Marlene." The boy asked the girl who immediately stood to get one when she bumped into Cloud on the doorway.

"Oh, Cloud!"

"Hang in there, Denzel." Says Cloud and stood at the foot of Marlene's bed then he so easily lifted the bed allowing Denzel to easily reach the pen.

"Thank you, Cloud." Marlene said as Denzel hands her pencil over to her.

Cloud only nodded and pointed under the bed. "It's a jungle down there, and I don't want to see what's under Denzel's... So let's do a rain check on general cleaning this weekend, okay?"

The two kids only exchanged meaningful glances at each other then both looked back at him. Marlene was so quick at taking something from her pack-bag and the next thing Cloud saw was a blinding light. A flash. From a camera. Only then that he realized he didn't have a shirt on and his hair was a mess and who knows aside from these two children of Adam what else is on his face right now. And the camera has it captured perfectly.

"Breakfast's ready!" Tifa called from downstairs.

"Coming!" Marlene responded and cheekily placed the camera back on her bag then she dragged Denzel out of the room.

0-0

**"Marlene!** Give me that camera!" Cloud shouted from upstairs as soon after the kids have taken their seats on the dining table.

The little brunette was giggling on her seat and Denzel was suppressing a smile too.

"What did you two do?" Tifa asked.

A playful smirk shaped Marlene's little mouth. "We just took a picture of Cloud. You said we will print all the pictures we took on the first day of school and make a scrapbook album afterwards." She reminded her.

Still suspicious of what they did, Tifa nodded. "I did say that, didn't I?"

Cloud came thundering from the stairs to the kitchen who immediately got his eyes settled on the sneaky little girl whose now hiding behind Tifa from the counter.

"You were still handsome in it, Cloud." Marlene cried out as she tightens her hold on Tifa's waist. "Don't be so vain."

Cloud was already opening his mouth to say something juicy when Denzel started laughing. He was trying to contain his laughter at Marlene's defensive face, Tifa's confused expression and Cloud's worried and at the same time frustrated look.

Denzel did the kind of laugh that really stunned the three. The boy had been through so much and witnessing how he struggles to start anew each day and succeeds just kinda warms their hearts.

Then a loud crash coming from the backdoor in the kitchen stopped the boy's laughter and also cut the others from their state of trance. That was followed by a bang when the door swung open to reveal one petite materia-obsessed ninja who can definitely cause such big and loud ruckus with her small size.

Yuffie sniffed the air and caught something to her liking. "Perfect! Breakfast... I'm starving." She left her things; mostly consisting of a knapsack probably full of materias, her beloved other-half the Shiruken and another cross body bag that she dropped last. The girl sat beside Denzel who was looking at her wide-eyed. She gave the boy a pat in the head. "What's up little man? Looking great!" Then she turned to Marlene who was now returning to her seat with an excited smile. She likes Yuffie, for some reason. "Hello there, Marlene. Wooh! You're starting to fill up quite nicely there, you're gonna be a heart-breaker in no time at all..." She said giggling then she scooted closer to the ever participant Marlene and whispered on her hear just enough for the other three to hear her. "Just like one girl I know named... T. I. F. A."

Marlene giggled, her eyes round in curiosity. "What do you mean by heart-breaker? Tifa is very sweet and nice she doesn't break hearts. Right, Tifa?"

Shaking her head as she laughs at Marlene's innocence, Tifa said; "That's right. And because Yuffie said that... She's not getting any pancakes."

"Aw! Come on! The Tifa I know actually has a very pure and selfless heart. She's like the sun, giving warmth and light to everybody. Sooo different from the _other _Tifa I just told you, Marlene." Yuffie tried to take back. "See? Tifa is a very common name, especially in Wutai. This Tifa from Wutai is a friend of mine who helps me _collect _materias."

"I thought her name was Yuri?" Cloud asked while he moves around preparing coffee. He almost smiled when Yuffie glared at him and mentally telling him to _shut up_ _and help me out of this mess_.

"It's Ti-fa. Short for Tifanny. You see Cloud had his hearing affected by Mako. You know just like the eyes, there's near-sighted and far-sighted. So Cloud has far-hearing... He can hear you clearly from afar but not up close so you we have to always raise our voice when he's around." She continued and Marlene was just absorbing her explanations like a sponge.

"Cloud!" Marlene shouted. "IS THAT TRUE?"

Cloud was startled at Marlene's sudden shouting that caused for him to loosen his grip on the cup of coffee that caused it to fall on the floor, shattering into pieces.

When Yuffie met Cloud's knowing stare, she shut her mouth and even motioned her decision to finally stop talking and zippered her mouth.

"I'll take care of that." Tifa said and quickly moved to pick-up the bigger pieces but that's about the same thing that Cloud did and so their heads met into a collision. Tifa voiced out the pain she got from that and Cloud, well, the discomfort wasn't painful at all.

"Ooh that hurts." Yuffie whispered.

Cloud immediately reached for the raiven-haired girl's head to examine it as he massages her forehead to ease the pain. "Is it still painful?" He asked.

With her eyes closed, Tifa felt like the stinging pain was not coming from her forehead where it supposed to come from but from the back of her head. It had been giving her a headache once in a while now, she just might have to visit a specialist in the head or something. When she opened her eyes, she met bright green cat-like eyes like that of the monster that once threatened to destroy their planet.

Tifa pushed the hands what were holding her face so strong that Cloud fell back into the floor butt-first. While Tifa crawled backwards trying to get away from cloud.

Cloud, Yuffie and the kids were all surprised at Tifa's reaction.

Marlene immediately went to Tifa's side. "Tifa, are you okay?"

Tifa, unaware of the intensity of the stares the other people in the room is giving her blinked her eyes several times to remove the image of _that _monster in her vision and as to why she was seeing _his_ eyes in Cloud's face. Marlene's worried face blocked her vision of Cloud.

"Tifa?" Marlene's voice was laced with fear now.

"I'm fine. I-It's just the headache."

* * *

Next Chapter: The Vision


	3. The Vision

"**Did you** carefully check the list that I gave you two?"

Marlene rolled her eyes. That's the nth time that Tifa asked her and Denzel about it.

'_Did you bring your sharpener?'_

'_How about the notebooks, are they complete?'_

'_Make sure to finish everything I placed in your lunch boxes.'_

"I saw that, Marlene." Tifa said from the front seat of the truck that she and Cloud decided to purchase a month ago. Fenrir couldn't accommodate larger deliveries anymore since Strife Delivery Service now has more customers and they no longer only cater to small packages.

"Here we are." Cloud announced as he parks right in front of the building's entrance.

The sight of other kids entering the gates sparked Marlene and Denzel's excitement. The first was already jumping on her seat waiting to get out of the truck while pushing Denzel to open the door on his side. "Faster! Faster! Faster Denzel, you're such a turtle."

Tifa managed to catch Denzel from kissing the ground when the moment the boy pushed the car door open, Marlene was pushing him already. "Ow, careful."

The little brunette realized her mistake immediately and she was holding Denzel's arm to get his attention. "I'm sorry, Denzel."

Denzel gave the younger girl an assuring smile. "It's alright, Marlene. Just calm down, okay?"

"Okay."

Cloud noticed how Tifa was intently checking on the two kids' appearance, probably making sure; yet again, if there's something missing. "Go get inside now, you two. You don't wanna be late on your first day." He said immediately before Tifa could think of another question that will result in another eye-rolling.

Marlene remembered something and she already got her camera out, waving it in the air to remind them of its purpose. "Let's take a picture with the school behind us."

Tifa nodded as she smiles. "That's a good idea. Let me take it for you..." But Marlene won't give her the camera.

"I want all four of us to be in it." Marlene said pouting and stomping her foot.

Tifa patted the girl's shoulder. "Ofcourse. There should be a timer on that one." She took the camera and checked on its settings. "Lucky! Let me set it for 10 seconds." She pressed on some buttons and the other three were all just looking at her. "Done!" She looked at the truck and went to the other side and placed the camera on top of the truck's hood. "Take two steps to the left so the building is visible." The three followed, Marlene with her big enthusiastic grin, Denzel with his usual shy look and Cloud with his poker face. Tifa giggled as she presses the start button and ran towards the group and stood behind the two kids and beside Cloud.

0-0

**Cloud** and Tifa passed by a highway construction with uniformed volunteers working on the main road. The WRO have been really bent on reconstructing the damage that not only the city but the planet have endured for the past years.

"Have you heard anything from Reeve, Cloud?" Tifa asked out of the blue. The former SHINRA employee and now the founder of WRO offered Cloud a job a month ago. He was recruiting him to lead the trainings of some volunteer soldiers to help keep peace and order not only in Midgar but in some other parts of the planet as well.

Tifa and the rest of the Avalanche members still feared of the past repeating itself with SHINRA and its elite peace keeping force called SOLDIER. But realized that they can't let the past keep them from moving on.

Cloud glanced at the raven-haired girl beside him who was busy looking at the disappearing view of the construction workers as he turns left. "I made my answer specific last time so, there's no reason for him to contact me again unless it's really important."

Nodding, "Okay," Tifa turned to the boy and studied his face, looking for something that Cloud wasn't sure of but is distracting him because he can see her within his peripheral vision.

"What is it, Tifa?" He couldn't help but ask.

"No worries, Cloud." She said smiling brightly at him and she can already see the supermarket, "You don't need to wait for me. I'll take a taxi from here." She smiled even more at him to give him assurance that she'll be fine.

Cloud looked at the girl, perplexed at her actions. It's not like Tifa to beat around the bush, he knows that she wanted to ask him about something and yet she isn't. Though another thing about Tifa is that she tries so hard to make other people feel better and happy and forgets herself. She only shows her bright side, but nobody knows about her dark side. Not even him. Her childhood friend. When she was always there for everyone every time.

"Call me if you can't get a taxi." He said, deciding to shy away from confrontation, there's a time and place for it.

"I will." She agreed and stayed a while to watch the truck leave before she finally turned to get on with her grocery shopping. Yuffie is staying indefinitely and they are expecting Barret and the others this weekend for Marlene's birthday. That is why it's necessary to buy some more food, plus 7th Heaven is already serving three meals on weekdays. It's a good thing that Yuffie arrived early so Tifa tasked the young ninja to watch the bar-turned-diner for a while.

Two hours after, Tifa checked the last one on her list and took a deep breath. She was sweaty and tired but she's feeling great. She had never shopped this much ever. But she liked it. This feels _normal. _

'_Tifa.'_

She turned to see who was calling her but there wasn't anybody behind her. She even looked around to see if anybody was looking at her direction but there was none. It was a girl's voice. It sounded familiar but she couldn't quite put her finger on who it was.

Tifa shrugged her shoulder and recalled what happened this morning. She made everyone worry and that is not happening again. It was nothing really. She has got to stop entertaining her fears because there's no more enemy. The planet is safe now. As soon as she eliminate the unnecessary fears and worries she has over nothing, then she can finally get rid of her bad dreams and hallucinations.

But the pecking headache is really annoying her already. It all started _that_ day.

_I have to visit a specialist tomorrow. _

She walked towards the exit pushing the trolley full of her grocery items. She was worried if she will be lucky enough to spot a taxi. There's only a few taxi's in Edge, probably more or less ten. The rest are using the train that started operating just two months ago. The WRO was in a hurry in fixing it since they believed that transportation is very important. But looking at the number of grocery bags she has, travelling by train is not an option. Plus she will have to walk up to seven blocks to get to the nearest station.

She stood just right outside the store waiting for a taxi to appear in her sight. She pulled out her phone and decided against calling Cloud to pick her up, thinking he must be busy as of the moment and she doesn't want to bother him. So instead, she dialed the taxi company's number she got from their flyers.

"Hi, I really need a taxi right now. Do you have one available in the street market area?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am. All our units are currently occupied. We have one unloading in the central plaza but it got a passenger immediately and they're heading to Sector 1."

_That's far. _"I see, thank you." She said and dropped the call. She looked at the state of her grocery bags on the trolley as she was chewing her bottom lip. She cannot bring the trolley to the train station so she really have to carry the bags all together. She placed her knuckles under her chin as she strategizes on how she can do it all. She took a deep breath and stretched, "Guess there's no other way."

A minute later she was piling the bags on top of each other on her arms but just as she was able to put the fifth bag, the pile collapsed. "Oh! No no no no!" Her attempts at catching the others that fell using her other hand while the other is still holding the others made her loose her balance and she was close to kissing the hard and cold floor if not for the hands on her middle keeping her from being intimate with the ground. The moment Tifa got to her feet she turned to her savior, "Thank you so-" She was surprised to see who it was. She hasn't seen him for a long time. Well, since the last battle with Sephiroth, that is. "Vincent!" She gasped and smiled at the tall fellow in front of her who's now gathering strange looks from the busy bodies around them with his clothing preference.

0-0

_**This**__ is not for me. _

Yuffie claimed in her head.

_How can Tifa stand doing this all day?_

She was tapping her fingers on the surface of the bar counter with her other hand under her chin. She was bored to death. Watching the two elderly solemnly eating their brunch so very slowly made her want to help speed things up for them. Geez! They have been here for more than an hour.

"I can't finish it." Says the elderly man whose back is facing Yuffie on the counter.

But because it's so silent, the young ninja heard the comment and it made her furious. "What? After I took the trouble of preparing it for you?" She marched towards the pair's table and stood beside the two with her hands on her hips.

"Look at this! I don't want to get a disease and make my remaining short life shorter!" Says the grey-haired elderly man.

Yuffie cringed silently when she saw how burnt the pancake and the bacons had become on their plates.

"What's a child like you doing here honey? Where's Tifa?" Asked the woman kindly.

_Child? Really? _

Yuffie puffed her cheek. "She went to the market. She'll be here any moment now." And right on cue, the bell placed on the door rang when it swung open. "Finally!" Yuffie marched towards Tifa who was pushing the door wide open. "I was this close!" She signed using her fingers indicating how close the gap between her thumb and her point finger are to each other. "_This_ close to killing two of your customers this morning!" She whined.

The confused look on Tifa's face disappeared when she saw her two patrons. So the raven-haired girl rushed to the two customer's tables and apologized and promised to make a new one for them free of charge. And while the girl was at it, Yuffie's jaw dropped at the figure that appeared before her.

"W-what are you doing here?" Yuffie asked, silently cursing herself for stuttering like that. Vincent stood right outside 7th Heaven's doorsteps with shopping bags in his arms. The young ninja's expression softened, "You look so... domesticated." She teased.

Vincent only gave the girl a curt nod and moved towards her. Yuffie automatically stepped back, surprised at the other person's movement. But when Vincent wasn't stopping and Yuffie felt the hardness of the wooden chair behind her telling her she can no longer move backwards, she stopped and she put on a defensive stance.

"Wha-" But Vincent shoved the shopping bags on the young ninja who was forced out of astonishment to accept them. It was then that Yuffie noticed there are still more shopping bags outside and Vincent was getting them all inside the bar.

Tiffa moved so swiftly with her plating as she dashed to their customer's table and served the better version of what Yuffie served them earlier.

"Now _this _is what I came here for!" The elderly man cheered before he started eating and Tiffa watched them happily.

Yuffie who heard the comment snorted. _'Balding old man!' _Yuffie thought.

"Thank you so much for your help, Vincent." Tifa said, mentally slapping her forehead for totally forgetting Vincent and her groceries. "Let me have those and you take any table you like while I make something for you." She took the bags from the man's arms and motions for him to take a seat. "Come on, Yuf." Tifa signaled for the suspicious young ninja to follow her to the counter.

"Why is he here?" Yuffie asked the moment they entered the kitchen.

"He wanted to see Cloud." Tifa answered as she starts preparing something for the guy who she realized she doesn't know what type of foods he eats. "I have no idea what to cook for him. Can you ask him for me, please?"

Yuffie crossed her arms over her chest defiantly. "He doesn't even talk to me."

Tifa laughed. "That's ridiculous. It's because you always say such stingy comments about him."

"Because he _is _stingy!"

Tifa raised her point finger. "See?"

Yuffie rolled her eyes. "He talks to everybody but me. When he does, it's to tell me off." She complained.

Tifa paused to think for a while. "The way I see it, Vincent seldom talks. But when he does, it's always about something that's necessary... or rather, necessarily important for him. Like today, he saw me at the market and helped me... we didn't really talk like, _hi, hello, how are you? How've you been doing?_" She nodded at her own realization. "He didn't greet me, I just asked him what he's doing in Midgar and he said he's here to see Cloud because he couldn't reach him on his phone so I told him he lost it and suggested that he wait for him here."

The young ninja got Tifa's point. But she still remembers his words that day when she tried to call his phone for fun after she found out that he finally joined the bandwagon and bought his very first phone.

'_Don't call me again.'_ And he hung up on her. That not only insulted her, it made her angry. He's just so cold to her. Well, he is to everyone but Yuffie felt that he is exceptionally cold to her.

"Go go go!" Tifa's encouragement made her go back to present time.

Reluctantly, Yuffie went out of the kitchen and although the two customers were still around and enjoying their meal; she felt a little scared for some reason. She found the mysterious man's figure on the single table by the window at the farthest corner of the bar.

"Hey, Tifa wants to know what you want to eat." She asked so casually, wearing her indifferent façade.

Vincent didn't tear his gaze from whatever is keeping his interest from the outside through the window. "Anything." He answered.

_Whoa! Tifa was right._

"Okay." She just turned her back on him when she heard him speak again.

"Are you staying here?"

Her heart beat accelerated. _That was four words!_

"Only for the night, why?" She answered and turned back to the most enigmatic person she ever met.

"Stay with Tifa and the kids. I'm going to borrow Cloud overnight." Then Vincent fished a familiar orb from some pocket inside his cape.

Yuffie's eyes twinkled, literally at the sight of a green materia on Vincent's hand. "Oh! Such beauty!" She brought her clasped hands over her chest. This kind of materia is one of the rarest next to the white one. It's also one of the most powerful and versatile materia which can also be used to cast Black and White spells. Then realization hit her. "What are you doing with a Magic Materia?"

"A cat gave it to me. But I have no use for it." He answered and handed the materia over to the materia-obsessed girl he knows her to be.

"Is this a bribe?"

Vincent only shrugged and dismissed her when he turned his gaze back to the window.

0-0

"**Thank** you so much." Says the woman after Cloud placed the parcel she ordered on the table inside her house. "Here you go." She handed the payment to him which he accepted as soon as he turned to her.

Cloud only nodded and said, "Thank you for doing business with Strife Delivery Service." He cringed inwardly at the words. But he remembered the unedited version of that sentence that Tifa wanted him to say every after his deliveries. _This is better._

"Do you want anything to drink?" Asks the woman who was smiling shyly at him. "After all, you've travelled directly from Edge." She stated and that made him look at her in the face. She looks like she's on her mid-forties or early fifties. Some strands of grey hair tucked behind her ears and her very long straight blue-black hair with a mix of some grey ones were tied into a braid over her shoulders.

It is indeed a long drive, but he's not thirsty at all and plus, he wanted to go home now. "I'm fine, thank you." He said and immediately stepped out of the house and marveled at the scene in front of him. The view was breath-taking. The woman's house was located on top of a hill facing the Sleeping Forest. He wondered idly if the woman lives here alone. The Bone Village is quite a distance from Midgar and some other cities.

"This is the only place where there's nothing that reminds me of the people's attempts at destroying the planet." Says the woman behind him as she joined him in his appreciation at the scenery.

She was right. The remains of the Meteor Fall and all the fighting were all visible in the city. Reminding people every waking day what the planet had suffered from in the past years.

"But it's happening again." The woman's voice sounded so forlorn.

Cloud looked at the woman beside him with a questioning look. "What's happening again?"

There was sadness on the woman's eyes when she spoke. "I guess there's nowhere I can go now, because the destruction is no longer from the outside." The woman took a deep breath. "The planet is slowly giving up." She added and raised her hand to point towards the Forgotten Capital. "The lifestream's light is decreasing. It's like something bad is happening inside the planet."

0-0

**With** the plate of lasagna on the tray and a glass of orange juice, Tifa approached Vincent's table. The two customers she had earlier already left a couple of minutes ago after thanking her for their meal.

"Sorry for the long wait." She smiled at the man and arranged the plate and glass in front of Vincent. "Can I sit in front of you?" Tifa asked and she knew the man felt awkward. But he gave her a nod anyway.

Tifa excitedly waited for his reaction after he took a spoonful. Vincent knew he had to say something to get rid of Tifa. "It's okay."

But that was enough to make the raven-haired girl happy. "I'll leave you alone now." She stood and saw Yuffie descending the staircase sadly with her body bag, which is where she puts her collection of materias. "What's wrong?"

"There's something wrong with the materias." Yuffie ran towards Tifa and placed the bag on the floor, opening it for Tifa to see the inside and she had the exact same reaction Yuffie had earlier.

Tifa gasped. The materias' colors were gone; they all looked the same now, a colorless and transparent orb without its usual brightness.

"Even the one Vincent gave me earlier turned like the others." Yuffie told her and raised the materia she received earlier and let it fall on top of the others in her bag.

A gush of wind made Tifa and Yuffie look up to Vincent behind the first, the look of surprise is not visible on his face.

"It's happening now." He said.

"What's going on?" Yuffie asked.

Tifa reached to touch one of the materias and just as her fingertip touches the magic materia that Vincent brought, a blinding light consumed Tifa. She closed her eyes because it became so hurtful to her sight but she couldn't pull her hand back. Then images appeared in her head. Images of something so frightening that caused her insides to squirm. There was fire, blood and so many deaths that she couldn't take anymore. And there were voices, hundreds, thousands, millions of voices speaking at the same time in her head.

'_Tifa?'_

That voice was the same one she heard earlier in the grocery store.

'_I know you can hear me. I can see the link. I can see your light.'_

That soothing and soft voice she had missed.

"Aerith?"

0-0

**A/N: Thank you for reading! I just read the Wiki for Dead Fantasy and I got some new ideas that I decided to apply to this story… but I want to hear your thoughts about the story so far.. let me know if I've gone OOC because I shall try to avoid that **


	4. Aerith's Voice

**The heat **is painful. She was standing, shading her eyes with her hands from the flames that is getting bigger and bigger by the second. The fire is advancing, making her step back several times. There was a nauseating stench, a combination of decaying and of burning flesh. Then there was the rusty odour of something she's quite familiar with... Blood.

Her heartbeat is accelerating. Fear started to creep inside her again. But she had learned to manage _fear_. A long time ago. She have mastered it, by fighting back. It's the only way she knew. It's the only way to rid of it. But who is the enemy now?

She looked around, coughing at the smoke that's choking her and blocking her vision.

"Aerith?" She called. She could not be mistaken. It was her voice that she heard earlier. Earlier when she was still in 7th Heaven, with Yuffie and Vincent. She doesn't know the how's and why's she got here. She just wanted to leave right away. "Aerith!" She called louder this time.

'_Tifa! Follow my voice!' _

She looked to her left where the voice is coming from. But the scene is all the same. Like a never ending fire and smoke and... Well, if she ever look lower she'd puke. There are bodies on the ground, drenched in their own blood. A scene so familiar to her.

"Where are you?"

'_I'm not where you are right now, Tifa. I can't go there, but you can come to where I am.' _Says Aerith, her voice small and soothing as always.

"But I don't know where you are." Tifa said and knew that there's nothing she can do by standing still. So she started walking, towards Aerith's voice.

'_You're doing great, Tifa. Just keep following my voice.'_

And with that, she ran. Faster. But the way was never ending. The heat was intensifying.

"K-keep talking, Aerith." She uttered, gasping for breath and coughing afterwards. It was because of the smoke. Her chest is tightening. But she can feel her skin going cold, and that tingling sensation permeating on her body. It felt like something is going to happen, but she just doesn't know what. "What's going on with me?"

It was the same feeling she had when she touched the empty materia. Something cold biting her like a pin that's continuously pricking her skin.

'_You're traveling, Tifa.' _

Tifa closed her eyes, she ran faster until she could no longer feel the ground. Like she's running on the air, stepping on nothing.

"I'm so happy to see you here."

When she heard that, she opened her eyes. Her voice didn't come from her head anymore. She could _hear _her now, literally. Then she saw a figure. A figure she knows so well. As she gets closer, the figure gets clearer. She was running towards _her_. Towards Aerith. Gone is the monstrous fire and foul smell, replaced by the cool wind blowing so gently against her skin and the sweet smell of flowers. Gone are the lifeless bodies and the pool of blood, replaced by the endless bed of flowers.

Tifa slowed down, her eyes fixated on the crying _flower girl_ in front of her. She stopped just a few steps from Aerith. She looked so alive, more alive that she could remember. She ran her eyes on the girl's long brown hair that's still tied by her pink ribbon. Her emerald eyes glistening in happy tears, the eyes she never thought she'd be able to see again after the last time she saw it closing. Her sweet contagious smile did it for her.

Tifa burst into tears at how much she missed the girl. Her friend. Her sister. "Is this a dream?"

Aerith shook her head and moved towards Tifa who was standing still in front of her. She enclosed her in a tight embrace.

Tifa took in her scent, the scent of flowers she always had. Calming and relaxing. She feels so alive and Tifa couldn't understand. Nevertheless, she was really happy to see her.

When finally Aerith let go of the raven-haired girl, she looked at her in the eye. "This is not a dream."

Shaking her head, Tifa said "It feels like a dream. This couldn't be possible for humans, right? I'm very happy to see you, but you're..." She couldn't finish it, but Aerith knew.

Aerith smiled. "Yes, _this _is impossible for most humans. Even to the Ancients'..."

"What do you mean?" Tifa asked, confused.

"You have God's gift, Tifa." She told her excitedly like only Aerith does. It was a great news for her.

"What gift?"

Aerith bit her lower lip as she ponders on how to explain everything to Tifa. In the end, she took her arm and dragged her towards the little stream on their left. The brunette let go of Tifa's arm to kneel beside the stream and touched the water that disturbed its stillness, though Tifa wondered how this stream is so still and un-moving. But now that Aerith touched it, the water lit up just like what happened to the materia that Tifa touched a while ago.

Their surrounding changed. It surprised Tifa and she immediately turned to Aerith, afraid that she was gone again, along with the changing scenario. But thankfully she isn't. As if she knew what Tifa was thinking, she smiled and stood closer to her.

"The universe is big yet small. To God who created it, it is small but to the living beings he created; it is very big." The surrounding changed into like as if they were in space. "I didn't know all these when I was still Aerith Gainsborough; the flower girl in Midgar, a Cetra in Gaea." She managed a faint smile at Tifa who was observing her keenly. "I wouldn't call it _dying_. Because actually, I didn't. It was only my body that died. I'd like to call it, _returning_."

Tifa couldn't help the smile on her lips. Aerith is still Aerith. She has a way with words, like the way she has with her beliefs.

"When I _returned_ to the lifestream and became one with the planet again, I gained knowledge about anything and everything Gaea knows." She giggled. "The perks of being a Cetra." She shrugged. "I used to feel so alone and clueless. But all that needs to happen really was that I need to _return_."

Hearing this, Tifa couldn't help but remember the pain of loosing Aerith. But knowing that it didn't really harm her makes her feel a lot better.

"The universe is divided into realms." Aerith continued.

"Realms?" Tifa repeated.

"Yes... There's three. First is the _living_. It is where I _lived_... And it is where you _still _live, Tifa. Our bodies identifies with this realm by our bodily senses- eyes, nose, mouth, ears and touch." Aerith observed if Tifa was still with her, and by her expression she is still processing it. "The second is the _spiritual_. It is identified by its influence on our soul- mind and emotions. It is where _I _live now."

Tifa finally understood.

"The third is commonly called _heaven_. It is where God, our creator lives. It's where everybody wants to go but not everybody _can_. It is where only the rightful and deserving in God's eyes will go. "

Nodding, Tifa was finally keeping up with the girl.

"God is in complete control of all the realms. But God has given the right of rule to the humans in the _living _realm and the spirits to the _spiritual _realm. Because it is in the _living _and _spiritual _realms where He does the judging and choose who can go and live with him in _heaven_." Aerith smiled at Tifa, "I want to live in _heaven_. _That _is the Cetra's Promise Land, but only if we perform our duties and responsibilities for Gaea. That is to save it from destruction."

It is very liberating to hear the truth about life and living. Like something has changed inside of her. But she remembered what Aerith told her earlier.

"What is God's gift to me, Aerith?"

"It's the _Ohr_." The scene around them changed into a familiar one. Midgar. The busy streets of people getting on with their lives. Kids playing close to them. One was running, chased by another. They were going towards Aerith whose back was on them and was facing Tifa, observing her reaction.

Tifa knew that Aerith will be knocked over, "Watch out!" But she wasn't. The kids just completely passed _through _her. "Oh."

"This is how I watch over you guys." She told her. Warmth and concern visible in her green eyes. "The _Ohr_ is the metaphysical manifestation of Light. The light is an energy that makes it possible for the living beings to see things. But the _Ohr _is the light for the souls. The person inside of us is our spirit. Our souls consists of our mind, will and emotions. Our bodies are what we live in while we are in the planet. Our bodies need light, but our souls need the _Ohr_. The _Ohr _provides the kind of light that is not visible to the eyes, but to the soul... It provides hope, spirituality, balance, integration, beauty, miracles and compassion."

For some reason, hearing these things about God's gift to her made Tifa feel... Scared.

"I don't understand. Where is this _Ohr_?" She doesn't even know about it until now.

Aerith walked towards Tifa and took her hand. "Tifa... It is _you_. You are the _Ohr._ You're the light. Your responsibility is to save souls, just like it's the Cetra's responsibility to save Gaea. We need to work together."

Tifa pulled her hand from Aerith's grasp. She was laughing now and she doesn't even know why. Because Aerith wouldn't lie to her. But this just sounds ridiculous. This can't be real. "Why me? I'm not like you. I'm not a Cetra. I'm just a human-"

"You're supposed to be human..." Aerith has already considered this reaction from the girl. She had known Tifa to be a very optimistic but logical person. She needs to fully understand something before she jumps into it. "Cetra's are born. Our existence are planned. But you are _chosen_."

"What? When? Why?" She asked.

Aerith's smiles were now gone. "I couldn't answer that. That's all I know. It's God's will. We must follow it."

A long uncomfortable silence passed before Tifa decided to break it. " Why do I hear voices in my head, Aerith?"

"Because of your link to the _spiritual _realm. You have the ability to depart from your physical form to go to the _spiritual_ realm and back. Your spirit is unlike a human's and unlike an ancient's. Normally, one has to die first."

Biting the insides of her cheeks, Tifa knew she had too much to process. She suspects there's something more. That Aerith is just starting, and she hasn't heard the more juicy part yet. She doesn't have any issues with saving the world, isn't that what they have been doing for the past years? But Tifa feels that _this _is something bigger. Plus discovering the truth about yourself that you didn't know about is just plain shocking. She was supposed to know herself more than anybody else, right? But apparently, Aerith knows more. It only gave her doubts about herself and of her whole existence. Doubts about her future that never seemed so hazy before as she had always known what she wants.

Tifa noticed the scenery changing. They were both suddenly outside 7th Heaven. It was then that Tifa remembered what happened before she got sucked into the _spiritual _realm by the materia.

"I used to be able to talk to Cloud." Aerith started again. She was looking up at the bar's signage.

"Used to?" Tifa asked. She didn't know about this.

"Because of the Mako energy in him." The brunette had a longing look in her eyes that was visible even then she wasn't facing Tifa. "The last time I spoke to him was in the church, after everybody was cured of geostigma."

Apparently Aerith didn't know why she could no longer speak to Cloud.

"Then a few days ago, I saw a link to you." She was happy when she said that but recalled something that made her frown. "Everyone in the _spiritual _realm saw that link. I think that's the reason why you could hear other voices too."

'_**Are you happy now, angel?'**_

Aerith gasped when she turned and saw Tifa on her knees, her hands on her mouth and her face laced with surprise and something else she couldn't name. Her warm chocolate brown eyes now glistening with unshed tears.

"How do I find my mom?" Tifa asked the brunette the moment she came close to her. "I heard her." That last words came out a whisper as she started sobbing.

Aerith felt a tug in her heart. She had never seen Tifa Lockhart cry before. She had always been the one to comfort the others. "You follow her voice, Tifa" She suggested. "The _spiritual _realm is unlike the _living_. It doesn't have shape, end, corner and time. It goes on forever. The spirits are in their own little world. We couldn't associate with each other. Our surrounding is how we want it to be. Only you can come to each of us."

Having heard that, Tifa remembered the fire, the blood and the dead bodies... Compared to when she found Aerith... Whose spirit would want that kind of surrounding?

Both of them was startled at the clattering inside the bar.

"I have so much to tell you, Tifa. But you have to get back now. The longer you stay away from your body, chances of _other_ spirits taking your body is high." Aerith motioned for her to get inside.

"Other spirits?"

"It's called possession. Spirits cannot posses a dead body. Your physical body is still alive, Tifa. Not all spirits are fine with dying, some of them wants to go back." Aerith looked straight into Tifa's eyes. "Like Sephiroth."

Tifa had to time to entertain her shock, because Aerith was pushing her to the door. It was a closed door. The ravenhaired-girl was about to voice out her concerns when Aerith pushed her so strongly, she thought for sure she'll get another head-butt when she went _through_ the door. It was like magic!

But again, she had little time to entertain her astonishment because she saw herself unconscious and being carried by Vincent who was now ascending the stairs probably getting her to lie in her bed.

Tifa ran towards the tall man who has Yuffie following so worried as she wrings her hands behind. She managed to get past the ninja and now she's behind Vincent who successfully reached the stairhead.

She doesn't know how to get back to her body, though.

"Open the door." Vincent commanded Yuffie who under a different circumstance would have given the guy first a piece of her mind, but she obediently followed.

Tifa waited for Vincent to place her body on the bed and when she got the chance, she crawled from the other side of the bed towards her body reluctantly, as she was unsure of what she was doing; then she moved to lie on top of her body.

0-0

**Yuffie **gasped when she noticed Tifa's eyes fluttering. She was jumping on her spot, cheering on the girl whose gaining her consciousness now.

"Ow! She's waking up! She's waking up! Tifa!" The bouncing ninja sat beside Tifa's form on the side of the bed. "Come on, Teef! You gave us a fright."

Vincent winced at what the young ninja said. "Don't tell her useless things." He commented, believing such words are unnecessary.

Yuffie puffed her cheeks and turned to Vincent to glare. "Heh! You were frightened, you just want to hide it because it would make you less cool." She snickered. "You should have seen your face."

Finally, Tifa's eyes opened. For a moment she laid still, didn't move. She tried to gather her thoughts. She can hear Yuffie teasing Vincent again. She could smell the familiar and distinctive smell of the city, it was a mixture a lot of things. She could also see the pale white ceiling and the tiny cracks on it, it was the paint, indicating a need for repainting. She could now feel the soft and comforting feel of the mattress and the bed-sheet on her skin.

'_**Our bodies identifies with this realm by our bodily senses- eyes, nose, mouth, ears and touch.'**_

That was what Aerith said about the _living_ realm.

'_You made it back.'_ There it was again. Aerith's voice. It was then that it finally sunk into her. It wasn't all a dream. She sighed.

"Tifa," Calls that deep and rough voice that's distinctly Vincent's.

He noticed her first, and then Yuffie who turned to Tifa so fast it was a wonder she didn't got a whiplash. "Tifa!"

The worried faces of the two earlier made her feel bad. It was the least she wanted, to cause worry and trouble to anybody. So she smiled and assuring one. "I'm fine now. Sorry about that. I guess, I was just really tired." She got up.

The young ninja stared at Tifa's face. "I thought the materia did something to you."

There's still so much that Aerith needs to explain. Tifa guessed her little trip to the _spiritual _realm was just the prologue and the chapter one is just about to begin.

"I don't think so." Tifa denied. "I've just been having these headaches." It's time to divert the attention from her. "What happened to the materias?" She asked.

Yuffie shrugged and glanced over her shoulders to Vincent who was now crossing his arms over his chest as he positions himself beside the open door, his back leaning on the wall. "They still look empty. I wanted to try a healing materia on you but I couldn't tell one from the others. They all look the same now." The young ninja heaved a sigh stomped her foot on the ground. "Ow, what am I gonna do now? They're my reason for living!"

Tifa reached for the ninja's back and started petting her. "We'll figure it out." She glanced at the wall clock just right above Vincent's head. It's almost twelve noon. Lunch time. And right on cue, they all heard the bell ringing from downstairs.

"Please don't mention this to Cloud and the kids, okay?"

0-0

**The gleaming** trees looming over them like giants welcomed them as they enter the Forgotten Capital. But Cloud noticed that they're not as vibrant as the last time he could remember. It has been three months since he last been here.

"Your eyes..." Says the woman sitting beside him on the passenger seat. "Are you a-"

"No." Cloud answered. His tone suggested dismissal and the woman understood. The woman told him earlier that she can show him the evidence of the planet's _illness, _he agreed. He wanted to know if there's another threat to the planet. "Are you a Cetra?" He asked. He feels a familiar aura coming from the woman. The kind that he used to feel coming from Aerith.

The woman smiled. "Unfortunately, no." She answered. "It was my dream to meet one before I die." She uttered under her breath.

Cloud thought about how unfortunate it was that she didn't get to meet the last one.

"I came from an ancient tribe called Cygnus. We believed in the Cetra's abilities. Our ancestors lived alongside them even before the Calamity from the Sky." That caught Cloud's attention. "Eyes on the road, we're almost there." She warned, that startled Cloud a little and made the woman laugh. "My ancestors were amongst those who were attacked by the celestial beings, along with the Cetra's. One of my ancestor was believed to have escaped that attack." She sighed. "He passed on to his descendants this faith and appreciation to the Cetra's and he dedicated his life in search for any survivors but died failing." There was disappointment in her voice.

"There was one... A friend of mine." Cloud said, eyes on the road but his thoughts back to that fateful day of Aerith's death.

"_Was?_"

"She was believed to be the last one. She fought with us." He tried to suppress the emotion that was escaping through his tone for the next words. "But she was killed."

The woman's mouth formed an O. Her eyes widened. "Don't tell me you're part of that group who fought against SHINRA?"

Cloud didn't confirm. Instead he concentrated on driving. He can now see the lifestream. He noticed that the brightness coming from the stream has decreased. It was very obtrusive as the glow from the lifestream used to be so bright and so alive. They are almost at the headwater of the lifestream where the woman; whose name Cloud knew from the delivery form was Imogen Stark, said the manifestation of the planet's sickness is more profound and evident.

The Forgotten Capital always had this eerie feel. The air is heavier and the atmosphere is just disquieting. Aerith once said it was because this place is home to the Cetra's and here is where their spirits linger. Makes him wonder if _she _was still here.

"Here we are." Says the woman who as soon as she felt the truck halt; immediately jumped out of the vehicle. "Follow me." She said as she leads the way.

It was so disturbingly silent. There was only the sound of their foot tracks as they head towards the cave at the far end. Cloud has never been in this part of the place. The woman looks like she knows the Forgotten Capital like the back of the hand.

"The lifestream's head is in that cave." The woman pointed to the entrance of the cave. Usual caves are dark inside, but this one is bright. "The planet's energy is its blood, and the stream its vein." She stopped just right outside the cave that cause Cloud to halt behind her too. The woman was looking at her feet and when Cloud followed her vision he was surprised to see cracks on the ground. On the soil. Big ones. It's like it has dried up. Which was boggling because it's near the lifestream.

The cracks ran up to the nearest trees. It was then that Cloud spotted and realized that the trees are slowly dying along with the river's decreasing glow.

"Inside the cave is worse."

0-0

Lunch time rush made Tifa and Yuffie really busy.

"How in the name of Gaea do you manage to do this every day?" Yuffie asked the girl who was catching her breath as soon as she reached the counter. On her hand was a tray filled empty plates she cleared off from the vacated tables that was immediately replaced with new customers. After placing the tray on the counter, Yuffie stretched, trying to relieve herself of the muscle pains, "Agh, this is like exercise ya know! Great Ninja Yuffie, single white rose of Wutai, playing waitress of the the month!"

"Time management, I guess. First come, first served..." Tifa answered as she turns the kitchen stove off and placed the newly cooked stir fried rice on a plate. "Last one." She smiled at Yuffie, silently requesting her to serve it to their last customer.

Yuffie puffed her cheeks. "Hey, why didn't yah ask _that _man over there to help us earlier? This is unfair! He eats for free, he needs tah work his ass for it!" The ninja spared Vincent a distasteful glance.

"Oh no... No no no." Tifa shook her head. "I had Cloud try to help me once, I lost a few customers _and _some glasswares. Huh, never again. Men like them doesn't have a talent for these like you and I do."

This time, the ninja's distasteful glare goes to Tifa. "I hate it when you peptalk me. Hmp!" She puffed a breath and took the last plate to their last customer.

'_I missed Yuffie.'_

Tifa watched Yuffie's back as she walks towards the last waiting customer. She still is such a kid sometimes.

"I'm sure she misses you too, Aerith. We all do." Tifa uttered. She could imagine the flower girl's face lighting up after hearing her words.

'_Enough of this. I don't want you welling up on me now, Vincent is watching you.'_

That made Tifa turn her head towards the silent form on the corner of the bar who was watching her intently. Probably wondering why she talks on her own.

Tifa decided to focus on washing the dishes, now that there's no longer any orders.

On the other hand, Vincent was sensing something from the raven-haired girl. Something mysterious happened when she fainted earlier. It wasn't just a simple fatigue, he knew. It was something about the materia and what's going on in the lifestream. He's here for two reasons. To inform them of the _changes _that the WRO noticed in the planet. Second, he's here for something _more. _

Reeve has been very persistent in recruiting Cloud because of what they found out under the SHINRA headquarters. But according to him, Cloud rejected him. That was why Reeve resorted to pestering him instead. He received his call two weeks ago, apparently getting his number from one ninja he hasn't grilled for giving out his number that was supposed to be only for the AVALANCHE members and _only _for emergency situations. Reeve later revealed that Yuffie, Barret, Cid and Cait Sith have agreed to work for the WRO.

The sound of his phone interrupted his brooding. He pulled it out from his pocket and flipped it open. "Speak of the devil." He uttered after reading the name on the little screen and pressed the _answer_ button. "Reeve."

But instead of the WRO Commissioners voice, Vincent heard shouting, gunshots and another sound that is bizarrely unnatural. It's like a sound coming from under ground. Something throaty, like an animal snarling breathing heavily. That alerted Vincent who stood so fast from his seat that cause the table in front of him to rattle.

"Reeve, what's going on?" He asked. Last he heard was that he was going to personally inspect the secret hideout they've just discovered while waiting for him to _convince _Cloud.

Next he heard were footsteps and Reeve's voice barking orders. "Shut it down! Now!" Then several more gunshots and a roar.

Vincent's reflexive reaction caught Yuffie's attention who was calming the customer and telling him that everything's alright. That the man just received a phone call, which was successful.

Tifa walked closer to Vincent, leaving what she was doing earlier.

'_I see it. Barret is in danger!' _Aerith's voice was laced with fear and worry.

0-0

**A/N: Owkay haha I got carried away with this chapter. I have to remind you guys that this story is not solely based on FF7 and Advent Children... You can say that its a combination of the two and Dirge of Cerberus, Dissidia and Dead Fantasy in one timeline.. But this is my own take... I hope you like it. **

**I have to say, I really like writing for Aerith. It just comes out like water from the faucet haha The hardest to write for is Cloud and Vincent... **


End file.
